An interventional study of Abdominal Massage in Gastric Residual Volume, Abdominal Distension and Enteral Nutrition, sponsored by Marmara University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-06-12.
Sponsored by Marmara University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of abdominal massage on gastric residual volume (GRV) and abdominal distension in surgical intensive care patients receiving enteral nutrition. The intervention group received 20-minute abdominal massage sessions twice daily for 3 consecutive days. Outcomes included changes in GRV, abdominal circumference, feeding volume, and gastrointestinal tolerance parameters.
Gastric residual volume (GRV) monitoring is commonly used in critically ill patients receiving enteral nutrition to assess gastrointestinal dysfunction, although current guidelines present conflicting recommendations regarding its necessity. Abdominal distension is a frequent complication during enteral feeding in surgical ICU patients. Non-pharmacological interventions such as abdominal massage have shown promise in improving gastrointestinal motility and enteral tolerance.
This study included 84 surgical ICU patients who met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to intervention (n=42) and control (n=42) groups. The intervention group received abdominal massage twice daily for 20 minutes over three days. Data were collected using standardized forms and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests including independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U, repeated measures ANOVA, and chi-square tests. The findings suggest that abdominal massage may help stabilize GRV levels, reduce abdominal circumference, and increase nutritional intake without increasing complications.
1,780 studies on the registry are indexed under Critical Illness; 442 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 84 is close to the median of 90 across 926 interventional studies indexed under Critical Illness.
Browse Critical Illness studies →Marmara University is the lead sponsor of 599 studies on the registry; 138 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Patients in this group received abdominal massage for 20 minutes, twice daily, for three consecutive days after the initiation of enteral nutrition.
Behavioral: Abdominal Massage
Patients in this group received standard postoperative care without abdominal massage.
Non-pharmacological intervention involving manual massage of the abdomen to support gastric motility and reduce gastric residual volume and abdominal distension in enterally fed surgical ICU patients.
Amount of gastric residual volume (mL)
Starting from the first day of enteral nutrition, gastric residual volume (mL) will be recorded at regular intervals every day for 3 days. The amount of GRV changing from the first day to the 3rd day will be measured and analysed.
Time frame: Day 3
Change in abdominal circumference
Abdominal circumference will be measured on the first day of enteral feeding and abdominal circumference will be measured every day at the same time for 3 days. The change in abdominal circumference (cm) from baseline to Day 3 will be recorded.
Time frame: Day 3
Amount of enteral feeding (mL/day)
The total amount of nutritional product taken on the first day of enteral nutrition will be recorded for 3 days. The amount taken from the beginning to the 3rd day will be recorded in ml/day.
Time frame: Day 3
Assessment of abdominal distension
On the first day of enteral nutrition, abdominal circumference will be measured and abdominal distension will be evaluated by auscultating bowel sounds and daily X-rays. The presence or absence of abdominal distension from the beginning to the 3rd day will be recorded.
Time frame: Day 3
Interruption of enteral nutrition
From the first day of starting enteral nutrition, the reasons for which continuous nutrition is interrupted (for example, going to another unit for radiological examination or re-operation for revision purposes, etc.) will be monitored and recorded for 3 days.
Time frame: Day 3
Plan to share: No — This study does not plan to share individual participant data due to privacy concerns and institutional policy.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from Apr 2024 to primary completion in Apr 2025, 12 months.
Of 400 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Critical Illness, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 40. This study's 12 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 404 studies reached it within 21 months; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 40.
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This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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